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It was definitely a trip to remember, your professionalism exceeded all standards and expectations! Our tour guide/driver Namla managed to make our trip exceptional, he was full of knowledge, very attentive and respectful. Be sure to ask for Namal as you plan your trip!
We booked the Classic Ceylon Sri Lanka Tour for our honeymoon. The tour agent was Aitken Spence Travels. Day 1: Arriving at Colombo airport, we were greeted by our guide/driver named Rane (guide and driver are the same person throughout the tour). Our first stop was the Ramada Hotel in Columbo, where we checked in. You can take advantage of the afternoon to explore the city or relax at the hotel. We have reviewed each hotel separately in this thread if you want to learn more about each hotel review in detail. Our guide agrees on a time for you to be picked up the next morni g, which was ours at 8am. to start on time. Colombo is a busy city so traffic can be very busy. Day 2: Drive from Colombo to Dambulla, which is approximately a 4-hour drive away. Your guide will make a rest stop for a drink if you wish. Once we reach Dambulla we visit the Temple of the Rock. This fascinating temple is built on the side of a rock with some historical monuments of Buddhas and paintings. Once we had visited the temple, we stopped for lunch at one of the various Sri Lankan tourist restaurants. The food is in keeping with the country and there are usually rice, potatoes, various meats and salads on the menu. We were never disappointed. Lunch is not included in the tour price so it is extra, but at approx 600 rupees it is very reasonable in terms of cost. Some days we didn't fancy lunch and you can skip this if you want. Your driver will be very accommodating. We were then taken to our hotel which would be home for the next 3 nights: Amaara Forest Hotel (review available separately). The following days consisted of: Day 3 - Drive from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa to visit the 2nd Heritage of the Capital City. This is an amazing experience that offers a fantastic insight into Sri Lankan history. After this we reached Minneriya to the national park. The opportunity to see elephants in the wild is something not to be missed. There are also wild buffaloes, monkeys, birds, and many more animals to witness. We also visited a silk shop where silk was made, and we were dressed in traditional Sri Lankan clothing, where you can take photos of each other. The ladies at this store were wonderful and we bought a few items. The woodcarving factory is also a good stop, where you can watch how they make traditional Raksha masks and other items. We really wanted to buy a pair of these and the factory store on site had plenty to choose from at reasonable prices. Day 4 - Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Lion Rock). This spectacular rock of approximately 200 m high has impressive views. The only way to achieve this is through lots of steep steps so you will need to wear some good trainers as flip flops will wreck your feet. It can get quite busy on the stairs for the first part as there are historical paintings to see a third of the way which causes the delay, but it picks up soon after. Don't let this delay put you off, I almost decided not to bother you, but the wife talked me into it and I'm glad I did. When you get to about 2/3 of this way, this is where the Lions entrance is. At one point this one had a huge rock lion face on it which is sadly gone. From this point you can reach the top and the view of Sri Lanka can be seen for miles. Word of advice to all of you, there are people who offer to "show" you the rock, they will expect payment for their services, so you politely say no or agree to a cost up front. Also when on the stairs there will be men offering to help him up (at one point taking my wife's hand and escorting her down the stairs which I soon said no to) in all fairness once I say no they will leave you alone, so don't do it. Don't let this discourage you, but be prepared. This day you also have a tour of a rural town in a carriage and a boat ride. You may be offered lunch here which is a great experience and at 600 rupees well worth it. A local lady prepares dinner in her cabin in the woods, and there is a good choice to have. You won't get a chance to experience this again so totally recommend it. Day 5 - Kandy. The journey from the hotel above to here is around 2.5 hours, but it breaks down to an intermediate stop at Spice Garden, where you can see how various spices grow and are shown how to make curry mixes from scratch. The day also included a visit to a gem museum. Generally these places have a room or two showing the history of the gems etc but then a shop at the end. We found the gem shop too expensive for what we wanted to get out of our souvenir shopping, so we didn't buy anything. Again, you don't have to buy anything if you just want to look around. After you transfer to another hotel, we stopped at Earls Regent in Kandy. Day 6 - We visit the Botanical Garden which is a lovely relaxing day where you can walk slowly and take in the surroundings. After this, you can have lunch or return to the hotel to relax. Day 7: We visit a tea plantation on this day where you can see the process from tea leaf picking to the final product. We were allowed to pick tea leaves in the hills as well as visit the shop on site to pick up some reasonably priced local tea/souvenirs. From this point, you can return to the final hotel of the tour to rest in Nuwara Eliya. You can, if you wish, take a walk in the area near the hotel. Day 8 _ This is the route back to the airport, which takes around 7 hours in total, but is broken down by the different sights offering opportunities for waterfalls and a few breaks at local cafes and restaurants. As a guide, we leave at 8:30 am and arrive at the airport at 3:30 pm. Overall the tour was amazing but very tiring. It's not a relaxing vacation, so if you can get a second week in a row somewhere, you can relax. We went to the Maldives which is a 1 hour flight to Male airport. Some final points:
We were advised to tip the driver between $5-10 per person per day as an example, but you can tip what you feel was worth. Your guide will offer to take you to other places that are not listed on the tour and will be charged. If you don't want to do this, just say no thanks and they won't accept you. We almost fell for this and arrived at a spa which we were told would cost 5,000 rupees each for an hour which works out to a total of �40 so not a huge cost but we really didn't want a spa visit So we politely said we weren't interested. On the last day you will also be asked if you want to go rafting, which we didn't do as the last thing we wanted was to get wet en route to the airport. Overall, a worthwhile trip to an amazing country.
Exception tour of Sri Lanka with Sujith Hewawellalage. Sri Lanka is an incredible country to visit and an experience not to be missed. The culture and history are fascinating, the scenery and wildlife breathtaking and the people generous, warm and friendly. I was incredible lucky to spend 8 days in Sri Lanka with a fabulous tour guide and amazing human being Sujith (Roshan) Hewawellalage. His knowledge of Sri Lanka and management of the tour were impressive. From the moment I met Sujith at the airport I was confident in his abilities as a safe and responsible driver and an intelligent and caring guide. I have travelled all over the world and taken a huge variety of tours and this trip with Sujith still rates as one of the best I have experienced. I was travelling alone on this trip but I have no doubt that Sujith would be the perfect guide for couples, families and small groups. You won�t regret it
Amazing and memorable trip. Mr. Udaka and Mr. Thilanka along with Mr. Niranjan were amazing in arranging the trip for us, lots of great memories to take back and thank you for showing us Sri Lanka through the areas taken. . .
Amazing best vacation. From being picked up at the airport to being returned two weeks later the holiday was perfect. Our driver Felix was the best you could wish for, safe, on time, everything could not have been done more, the hotels were very good, the trips were perfect for us, we had no problems at any time, we would recommend this company and driver to anyone who go on vacation there
Sri Lanka Time Tour via Aitken Spence. We met our driver and guided Sanka in Negombo for a 10 day tour of Sri Lanka. As soon as we met Sanka we knew we had made a very good decision, he was very friendly and welcoming us to continue our tour with the first events, he was prompt and very knowledgeable, and very proud of his country. Driving in Sri Lanka is crazy but Sanka was very experienced and we never felt unsafe. Safety throughout Sri Lanka is a high priority, but we never feel unsafe anywhere and encourage visitors to carry on while the tourism industry suffers. The hotels we stayed in were excellent and the staff were always friendly and very helpful. The tour is very busy with some long days, but we end with a six day break in the Maldives to recover. A truly memorable holiday with lots of laughs and banter with Sanka who made the tour so enjoyable.
This six-day cultural tour takes you to discover the enchanting central region of Sri Lanka. Visit ancient ruins with impressive architecture and imposing statues. Climb fifth-century fortresses and be inspired by fascinating temples and spectacular natural landscapes. Make a stop at a typical tea factory.In Kitulgala grab your gear and toss into the wild rapids for a seamless rafting challenge on white water or if hardcore adventurism is not for you, simply trek along the beaten track to admire the immaculate beauty of the wilderness.
Explore Sri Lanka with this fascinating six-day round-trip starting in the capital, Colombo, and taking an inland loop that covers all the main historic, cultural and natural attractions of this magical island. Discover a world of lush landscapes, picturesque lakeside cities, historic temples and ancient citadels. Breathe in the fragrances of Sri Lanka at herb and spice gardens. Enjoy the lush green tea plantations spreaded through the hill county.
Fantastic guide! Nimal Wijeratne, Aitken Spence's Travels. Because of Nimal we have had a great holiday as he showed us his beautiful Sri Lanka in so many different ways. He was helpful, friendly and extremely knowledgeable about Sri Lanka and the trip. We have been to restaurants and places where we would never have been without Nimal. We have had a good connection with Nimal and he became a true friend.
Combine the incredible sites of India's Golden Triangle with Sri Lanka's ancient ruins, verdant jungles, cool mountains and amazing wildlife. Explore the legendary Taj Mahal and pink city of Jaipur, Dambulla's rock temple, sip pure Ceylon tea and discover the bustling city of Colombo.
